Swallow My Pride
by Star-Rose Lover
Summary: Akiza becomes a servant girl after her parents unfortunate death for eleven years. But when a certain raven-haired man remembers her from childhood, and ends up saving her, will he ever gain her trust again or will she never change?
1. Chapter 1

Star-Rose Lover: I'm back again!

Jack: Oh joy.

Star-Rose Lover: Hey, you should be happy that I am. -_- If you're not, you know I can kick you out again...

Jack: Naw I'm good.

Star-Rose Lover: That's what I thought. Anyways, enough chitchat. This is my new story, Swallow My Pride, and hopefully you read the summary to know what it's about. Also, its the one everybody voted for in my poll, so...yeah. Ok, on with chapter 1! Hope you like!

* * *

><p><em>"Oh mommy, daddy, its wonderful!" <em>

_A little red-haired five-year-old girl exclaimed, jumping up and down in front of her parents excidtely. She was holding a deck to her chest, the cause of her excitment. Her parents smiled down at her._

_"Glad you like it, Akiza," A older man said, obviously Akiza's father. Though these two didn't look alike like Akiza and her mother did, they both had the same eye color in the very least. _

_Akiza squealed in delight, and started running around the house in her excitement, hugging everybody she saw; from maids to butlers, and even the family cat and dog._

_Ding!_

_Akiza looked up at the sound of the doorbell and released her small arms from the family cat, it in turn slinking away before the little girl got any ideas to start squeezing it to death again. She ran to the door, jumping up and down excitedly, knowing that it was-_

_"YUSEI!" She yelled, running to embrace the raven-haired boy. He laughed and happily returned the hug._

_"Happy birthday, Akiza," He said, cerulean eyes shining. _

_"Yusei, look what I got!" Akiza exclaimed, holding up her brand-new deck for Yusei to see. "Now we can duel each other!"_

_"That's great, Akiza!" Yusei said, starting to finger his own deck in anticipation. _

_"And look what I got too..."_

_Akiza edged in to show Yusei what she had, and he leaned in curiously._

_Yusei and Akiza's mothers' stood above them, cueing over their cuteness with each other. _

_"And look at this one, Yusei."_

_Yusei eyes widened. "Wow, Akiza. That looks a little bit like my own dragon," Yusei said, fishing through his deck for his card._

_"Here!" Yusei said, holding up his dragon. "Isn't it amazing?"_

_"Wow, it's so shiny!" Akiza exclaimed, her little jaw dropping in admiration. "Can I touch it?"_

_Yeah, su-"_

_"Happy birthday, Yuza!" A voice said, interupting Yusei. _

_Akiza's mother glanced up irritably. It was her sister-in-law, Cloe. She walked in all her high-beauty, swinging her hips and showing off the curves of her body, also counting the whole chest-exposure as well. Akiza's mother sighed. She had told her not to come dressed like that, saying that it was bad for Akiza._

_Akiza cringed at the sight of her Aunt Cloe. She didn't know why, but she didn't like her. _

_"Happy birthday, Yuza!" Her Aunt Cloe said again, giving Akiza a way-too-tight hug. _

_Akiza pulled away, much to her Aunt's displeasure._

_"My name is Akiza, Aunt Cloe, not Yuza," Akiza said, putting her hands behind her back._

_Aunt Cloe frowned and turned to Akiza's mother. _

_"Setsuko, I thought you taught your daughter better than this," Cloe scoffed, glaring at her._

_Akiza's mother sighed and said, "I did, but to the right people, that is."_

_Cloe jerked. "Well, I never! I have you know, I-"_

_"I think me and Yusei should be going now, Setsuko," Yusei's mother interupted, slender hand curling around Yusei's shoulder. "Let's get going, Yusei. Thank Mrs. Izinski and Akiza for inviting you."_

_Yusei turned to Setsuko and Akiza. "Thank you, Mrs. Izinski," Yusei then turned to Akiza and gave her a hug. "And thank you, Akiza. Happy birthday," Yusei said, pushing something into her hand. _

_Yusei and his mother walked away from the Izinski family, waving nervously. Akiza and her mother waved back happily, but Aunt Cloe didn't, instead focusing immensly on the little raven-haired boy. She turned to Akiza's mother._

_"Looks like your daughter and that boy have quite the relationship going on, Setsuko," Cloe said, smiling like a Chesire Cat that had learned a big secret. _

_"Cloe!" Akiza's mother yelled, causing Cloe to flinch. "They're just children!"_

_Akiza instinctively hid behind her mother. She didn't like it when her mother got angry. _

_As Cloe and her mother started to argue, Akiza found herself looking at what Yusei had given her. It was a beatiful; a necklace with a sparkling rose hanging from it. Akiza looked at it in awe..._

_"Just come in the house, Cloe, and we can talk about this in here," Akiza's mother said, jerking Akiza from her fascination in the rose-shaped necklace._

_Though Aunt Cloe's lip was curled in anger, she nodded. "Very well," She said. _

_Akiza clutched to her mother's leg, not letting go until they made it into the living room. _

_Akiza's mother looked down at Akiza and smiled. "Can you please go to your room for a second, honey, while I talk to your Aunt Cloe?" She asked._

_Akiza nodded, running up to her room. Anything to get away from her Aunt..._

_Akiza didn't remember how long she had sat in her room, admiring the necklace Yusei had given her and her deck before she heard the scream and the multiple shots. _

_She ran downstairs, and was met with a terrible sight. A man who she had never seen before with a gun and Aunt Cloe, hugging on to his arm admirably, stood smiling at the bleeding and twisted forms of her mother and father. She gasped, tears flowing out of her eyes. _

_The man and Aunt Cloe whipped around at the sudden noise, the man pointing the gun at her. Akiza froze. This was bad...this was soooo bad...and...Aunt Cloe!_

_"Aunt Cloe!" She whimpered, and ran to her. "What hap-" _

_SLAM!_

_Akiza hit the floor, too stunned to get up, instead resorting to rubbing her reddded and definently brusied cheek. _

_"This is the story, Akiza," her Aunt Cloe said, standing over her. Akiza stiffened. The man stood beside her, grinning sadistically. _

_"This is Sayer, my husband. And Mr. and Mrs. Izinski died in a horrible accident, by the way, as did Akiza. They were shot by one of their maids, who ended up commiting suicide to herself afterwards, who was your mother by the way," Aunt Cloe wrapped her arm around Akiza's new Uncle. "Will you finish the rest, sweetheart?"_

_"Yes," He hissed, smiling eerily down at Akiza. "Out of the goodness of your Sayer and Cloe, the suppossed daughter of the maid, you are now taken into their care. All the Izinski fortune...belongs to us, now. Not you...since Akiza died. Do we have a clear understanding? You are no longer Akiza. Akiza...is dead."_

_Akiza, still stunned, nodded unconsiously. What was happening? She was right here! She didn't die! _

_But little did she know that she really did die along with her parents..._

* * *

><p>"Akiza!"<p>

Akiza, now a full grown woman of seventeen, sat up in bed at the sound of Sayer's voice. She rubbed her eyes.

That memory...always stun her. It was the worst day of her life, for not only did her parents die, but everyone one she knew and loved disappeared before her. Yusei, a face she didn't even remeber anymore, was gone as well.

They had moved houses soon after those days events happened. Though unknown to anyone else, she was the Izinski daughter said to have died along with her parents under a maid who had gone crazy.

She had no one. She didn't trust anyone. She was alone. And...she would never be saved. Her name was now Tilli Rose, a servant girl under the rich and powerful Cloe and Sayer.

_Never to love again._

* * *

><p>Star-Rose Lover: Wow...that was kinda sad. D:<p>

Akiza: Ya think?

Star-Rose Lover: Oh, uh, how long have you been sitting there?

Akiza: Oh I don't know, through the whole story maybe?

Star-Rose Lover: Hahaha, my bad. Sorry Akiza, but you're getting tortured again. But not for long! Soon you'll be-

Akiza: Yeah Yeah Yeah, I know, you said it in your summary, remember?

Star-Rose Lover: Oh I did, didn't I? Well anyways, as I said it will get better soon, so please review and keep reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Star-Rose Lover: Yay! I got such nice reviews! I didn't think it would work out this well! ^o^

Akiza: ...

Star-Rose Lover: Um, hey Akiza are you- WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!

Akiza: *holding large hammer over Star-Rose Lover's head* THIS IS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD SO YOU'LL STOP TORTURING ME!

Star-Rose Lover: OH MY GOD! *holding hammer back with little strength she has* uh...please enjoy, notive that it has some rough torture, reason it's rated T for...HOLY-

* * *

><p>Akiza trudged down the long flight of stairs, arranging her hair up into a bun leaving some strands of hair hanging down. She took a glance at the mirror that hung up beside the oaken rail and gave a slight nod of approval. Akiza thought she'd look worse considering she just got out of bed, but-<p>

"Ak- I mean, Tilli! What took you so long! We want our breakfast!" Sayer yelled at her as she finally made it at the bottom. Cloe look frustrated as well. Akiza opened her mouth to answer, but Sayer interrupted her again. "Come here," He said, pointing to the empty space before him.

Akiza hesitated, but didn't want to get in trouble anymore than she already was, so she walked over quickly to Sayer and stood before him, head slightly bowed.

Sayer grabbed Akiza's chin forcefully, causing her to look up at him as he slowly stood up from his seat. But before she could open her mouth, she was hit, sent sailing across the stained wooden floor. Akiza landed on her back, a grunt of pain escaping her; she rolled on her side. How many times did she get hit a day? Seven...ten, maybe? She shook her head. Hell, she didn't keep track anymore.

Akiza tried getting back up but froze when she saw Sayer standing over her. Her amber eyes reflected back his image, though it was hard to see because they were so glazed over with fear and pain. And though she didn't notice, she was shaking with a ferosity.

"I will ask you again," Sayer said, placing his hands behind his back. "Where...were...you?" He pronounced each word slowly, as if talking to a little kid. Akiza felt a short flame of anger and defiance against this man, but it was extinguished at the thought of what he would've done if she had showed it.

"I...I just woke up and got ready, sir, and I woke up Yuza as well," Akiza said, putting her hand to her cheek.

And for the first time, she was thankful when Yuza, Sayer and Cloe's only daughter, clumped down the stairs in her silk purple pajamas.

Yuza fixed her sharp, fern green eyes around the room, taking notice of everything beforehand. Akiza felt a chill run through her. Yuza was a mysterious girl, that was for sure. But she could change her mood just as quickly as Cloe could, and it always felt like there were two Cloe's in the houseinstead of one. And it when she acted like Sayer...Akiza shook harder at the thought.

"MOMMY!" The eleven-year-old practically screamed, charging down the stairs at full speed towards her mother. She threw herself against Cloe's legs, almost causing her to topple over. Then she started talking about some dream she was having, and how great it was until she was woken up. Cloe and her shot Akiza a glare.

_Great, now not only is Sayer glaring at me, but so are Cloe and Yuza, _Akiza thought to herself. Her gaze dragged to the ground before she got in trouble again, especially with Yuza.

And to tell the truth, Yuza was just as bad as Cloe and Sayer, considering she was only a eleven-year-old girl. But, appearences are deceiving. Yuza looked like the sweetest girl around, with her small figure-like body at such a young age and the long brown hair and fern-green eyes; a heredity trait from Sayer, of course. But on the inside she was cruel and mean, ready to back-stab you at a moments notice. Akiza shivered at a thought.

There was this one time when Yuza was only five and just because she refused to read her a story since she was sick and needed her rest, Akiza remembered she was slapped straight across the cheek by Yuza's little hand. Though it didn't hurt Akiza, it stunned her. Especially the next morning when she saw Yuza telling Sayer and Cloe about what she did and them congratualting her, saying that she could do it whenever necessary.

"Tilli."

Akiza's train of thought stopped at the sound of Sayer's voice. She looked up slowly. He raised his hand, and Akiza instinctively flinched, ready to get slapped again for whatever reason. There always seemed to find a reason...but instead, he merely pointed at the kitchen, flicking his hand as a signal to go and make breakfast.

Akiza jumped up off of the polished wooden floor and headed towards the kitchen, holding her cheek along the way.

It was going to be another long day in her miserable life...

* * *

><p>Yusei jumped at the sound of his mother's voice, telling him to wake up. She started to shake him. "Give me a break, mom..." He groaned, turning over to the side and pulling the blankets tighter around him.<p>

His mother humphed. Yusei could almost imagine her putting her hands on her hips in a agervated way like she always did. He couldn't help but smile...

"Well Yusei, maybe if you and your father hadn't stayed up all night working on that D-Wheel of yours, then maybe you wouldn't be so tired," She said. "And also, if you want breakfast, you better head on down. It's past 10."

_Past 10? _Yusei thought, turning over on his side. His clock read 10:06. _Wow..._

"You better hurry up, Yusei," She muttered, walking out of the room saying something about him being just like his father.

Yusei sighed and laid on his back with his arms behind his head. That wasn't the only reason he slept in so late...he had had that dream again. The one about the now-dead Izinski's...

He remebered going home that day and taking a nap because he was so tired, and when he had woke up he had saw his mother crying. When he had asked her what was wrong, she had said that the Izinski Family was dead. Yusei remebered breaking down in tears as well...Akiza, one of his best friends at the time, had died. And now that he think about it, she was only five. Way too young...

"YUSEI!"

Yusei fell out of his bed at the sound of his mother's voice again. He chuckled. Boy, was someone PMSing...

He truudged down the stairs in a tired gait, taking notice of his parents talking quietly about something at the table. It looked serious, or at least it seemed like it.

Yusei stopped halfway down the steps and tried to make out what they were saying, but he couldn't understand. So he went ahead and stepped into the room.

"Something wrong?" He asked, causing his parents to almost jump out of their seats at the sound of his voice. His father's tired glance turned towards him and as did his mother's worried look. Yusei noticed something in her hand that looked like an envelope.

"What's that?" Yusei asked, pointing at it.

_Yep, _Yusei thought. _It's definently a envelope, but from whom?_

He watched as his mother and father glanced at each other warily, like they were scared of telling him.

_What could be so wrong? _Yusei wondered, glancing at the both of him nervously.

Finally, his father spoke up.

"Yusei, you remember that the only living relative of the Izinski Family is Cloe, right?" Yusei's fathers said slowly, as if coming up with the words as he came along.

Yusei nodded.

"Well...her and her husband have invited us to have dinner with them."

Yusei's eyes widened. Then they narrowed. He remebered that woman...Akiza's aunt. Though it was vague, Yusei remembered how many times Akiza had told him how much she disliked her. And he couldn't have agreed more...

Yusei glanced up at his parents. "Do we have to?"

"Well, that's just what I was discussing with your father," Yusei's mother said, sighing. "But he seems to think otherwise."

Yusei's father shrugged. "I would agree, honey, but it would be a nice gesture because we haven't seen or even communicated once with Cloe since the funeral," He said, then sighed. "I don't like it any more than either of you do, but we can't just forget about them. It wouldn't be right...and besides, I'm not doing it for them. I'm doing it for Hideo, Setsuko, and especially little Akiza."

Yusei's father looked at Yusei at the mention of Akiza. He knew his son grieved when she had died.

Yusei stiffened. He knew what his father was thinking. He glanced towards his mother, and sighed as well.

"It's not a bad idea, mom," Yusei said, fixing his gaze on the ground.

His mother shook her head in defeat.

"Alright, then," She said. "We'll go visit Cloe and her family tomorrow, then."

* * *

><p>Akiza flopped on her bed, moaning. She rubbed her shoulder gingerly from bumping it badly earlier. She then proceded to rub her temples.<p>

Tomorrow night was going to be a big night, that was for sure. Tomorrow night...will be the first time since her parents death that she will see the Fudo Family again. And hopefully the fading boy that has been in her dreams since that horrible day.

She sat up in bed and reached for something under it. She pulled out her deck and the necklace Yusei had given her so long ago. Akiza stared at them, mesmorized in thought of how she recieved them. She felt something wet falling down her cheeks and reached up to touch it. She brought her hand down.

They were tears...

Wait, tears? She hadn't cried in forever, so why...so why was she...

Then suddenly, she found herself hunched over, bawling her eyes out.

_Why..._

* * *

><p>Luna: Um, Star-Rose Lover can't come talk right now because she's fighting Akiza, *audience hears yells coming from background* so she wanted me to come talk instead.<p>

Leo: Yay!

Luna: Right...so anyways, she wanted to say that some big action will be happening in the next chapter and to please stayed tuned. And she also wanted to say that she was sorry if the abuse was too harsh, but that it will end soon. And Leo wanted to say...

Leo: PLEASE REVIEW!


	3. Chapter 3

Star-Rose Lover: *looks around* Do you see Akiza anywhere?

Yusei: No I think she's gone...

Star-Rose Lover: Thank goodness, I thought she was going to kill me! Anyways, I want to think you all for the nice reviews you sent me again and to please enjoy!

Yusei: Um, Star?

Star-Rose Lover: What?

Yusei: Akiza.

Star-Rose Lover: NOT AGAIN!

* * *

><p>Akiza looked around the still house and stood up from the wooden floor she was cleaning, wiping her cold, dank hands on her unflattering maid dress.<p>

It was pure black, with only a white apron around the front that made it at least made her curvy body look a little flattering, but Akiza could care less. All she cared about at the moment was what time it was, and to her relief the clock struck eight in the evening meaning that the Fudo's would be here in less than 30 minutes.

Sayer, Cloe and Yuza were gone for the time being and said that they wouldn't be back until a little before or after the Fudo's got here, and they had told Akiza that if they did happen to come a little earlier that Akiza was not to talk to them and only to let them in, and escort them to the living room.

Akiza sighed and sat on the way too fluffy couch that Cloe had picked out when they had first moved into the mansion. Cloe had said at the time that overly fluffy things were in at the moment and Sayer grudgingly agreed with her, though he did have his eye on something far too green and stiff so Akiza really didn't mind.

A sharp pang of memory hit Akiza and she grimanced. It made her ill to her stomach to even think about it...

After her parents and her 'supposed' funeral, Sayer and Cloe had eargerly married and, since Cloe was the only know relative to the Izinski's at the moment, had inherited the rights of her parents last will, which had at first said _she_ was to inherit the rights of the will that had said when her parents passed away she was to inherit the Izinski fortune; but since she was supposedly dead, the rights went to Cloe and Sayer, which made Akiza recoil everytime she thought about it as she was doing now.

She sighed and rubbed her temples in frustration and sorrow. No one could ever understand not only the pain and frustration she went through with the odd family, but the sorrow as well. If only-

_Ding! _

Akiza jumped off the couch at the sudden ringing sound. She glanced at the clock, and it read a little past eight.

Surely not right now, right? It couldn't be them, they were just too early! But if things were ruined because of her, Sayer and Cloe would...she shook her head. She shouldn't think like that, she had to stay calm.

_Ding! _

After the doorbell rang again, Akiza reluctantly walked to the door to open it. Her hand hesitated on the knob, fingers lightly tracing the whiskered patteren on it; every reliable sense in her body was screaming at her not too, but she refused to listen to them.

So Akiza opened the door...and-

_Why?_

* * *

><p>"Aren't we a little too early?"<p>

Yusei asked his parents as they stopped in front of Cloe's mansion. He pulled at his tye that was rather tight around his neck while he glanced, well, mostly glared, up at it. Yusei _soooo_ did not want to be here, especially when he could've spent time with his friends Jack, Crow, and Kalin.

"Now Now, Yusei. The sooner we get this over with, the-"

"Faster we can get back to our regular life's, I know Dad," Yusei interupted, kicking a stone across the long spiraling driveway.

Yusei's father shared a look with his mother, who gave him a I-told-you-so look. He sighed and rang the doorbell again. What was taking them so long? Surely they're-

Mr. Fudo's thoughts were interupted as the heavy brass double-door opened.

He coughed lightly at his son who was too focused kicking stones down the long spiraling driveway; Yusei jerked and looked up at the door- and blinked surprisingly.

That surely wasn't Cloe...right?

A girl who looked about a year younger than him was there instead.

She had red hair that was pulled up into a rather tight bun, though strands fell down from it in places. She wore a black dress with a white apron tied around the front that at least showed her curvy body off a little, but Yusei didn't pay really any attention like any other boy would; he wasn't Crow, that's for sure.

But really dragged Yusei in was her face; it looked like she had a rather pretty face, heart-shaped and all, but it was actaully hard to tell because there was brusies _all over it. _Yusei heard a light gasp that he knew was his mother's and glanced over at her. His mother's face had paled ever so slightly, and you could tell she was having a hard time containing herself from crying out. He saw his dad's hand find her own and squeeze it supportingly. But still, his mother couldn't drag her gaze off the girl.

_Ok, so this girl is a maid, _Yusei thought, _who is obviously mistreated terribly. _

He glanced back at the red-head and focused on her eyes. He believed in the fact that eyes told everything about a person, so...

Yusei looked deep into her entrancing hazel eyes, and her eyes found his; but this time, it was _his _turn to hold back a gasp. He gritted his teeth and tightened his fists. Never had Yusei seen eyes that were devoid of any emotion except hate and sorrow; and it actually scared him.

Yusei, the King of Riding Duels. Yusei, the man who had the greatest "pokerface" as everyone who ever met him told him; and Yusei, who was said to never be scared of _anything, _felt the unconfrontable feeling of fright unfold in his beating heart.

"What's your...What's your name, girl?"

Yusei jerked again at the shaky sound of his mother's voice, though he didn't look at her. He was too entranced in the girl's eyes; but she looked away quickly as if she would get into trouble for doing so and glanced towards Mrs. Fudo. The girl shook her head, as if she simply couldn't talk. Mrs. Fudo cocked her head questionably at her.

"Can you not talk, dear?" she asked carefully, as if talking to a wounded animal.

Again, the maid-girl shook her head, though this time faster. She just indicated to her throat dramatically and stood back as she waved them inside.

The Fudo family all looked hesitantly at one another, not even wanting to find out what might await them inside, but followed the girl in anyway. The girl waited with her head down as she watched them all come in and, with a heave, pushed the door back again.

The family looked around, indicating the walls, furniture, etc. But the girl waved at them again to follow her, and this time she led them into a large living room, filled with expensive looking furniture and a large wide-screen TV. She indicated to the couches, and left the room in a hurry.

The family watched her go before they settled themselves into the furniture.

"My, that girl was sure- umph!" Mrs. Fudo tried to whisper something to Mr. Fudo and Yusei, but when she settled into the couch she was variably interupted. The couch had an undeniable fluff to it.

Mr. Fudo chuckled darkly. "Cloe sure hasn't changed has she?"

"No, always has to be fashionable," Mrs. Fudo said, sighing. "Can't even believe she's related to Setsuko in any way, honestly."

Yusei didn't pay a bit of attention to his parents, still looking at the door that the maid-girl had left out of. Though he just couldn't put a finger on it, he recognized that girl from somewhere. That red hair, those eyes, that sweet pretty face...it all looked so familiar to him. Almost like-

_Akiza!_

Yusei found himself jumping off the way too fluffy couch and soon at the door the girl left out of at the sudden break in thought.

This was impossible, right? Surely she still couldn't be alive, could she? Sure it made sense and all, but he was at the _funeral _for God's sake! But he had to make sure, in the very least. At least then he would be satisfied, because his mind was in a great termoil.

He found himself in another big room that had two large hallways leading off from it, but which to go down?

Yusei was about to take the left hallway, when he swore he heard a voice from the right one. It sounded fragile, as though it would break any second. Surely it had to be her, so he walked down the hall gingerly. Obviously the girl refused to talk to anyone, so he had to be quiet and not frighten her.

The voice got closer and closer, enough till he could actually make out the words that the person (though he firmly believed it was her) was saying.

"Yes yes, I understand Cloe. I will do my best, yes I will."

Yep, Yusei knew he was correct. He peered into a large room's doorway that was cracked ever so slightly, enough to peer inside, and caught sight of the red-head talking on a black cordless phone. That someone she was talking to was definently Cloe. Yusei peered in closer to get a better look at her; her face looked that of uncomfrontable concern. He heard a few yells coming from the phone, and watched as she bit her lip nervously before speaking once more.

"So you want me to talk to them this time, and tell them you guys will be late from your errands?"

Yusei watched as maid-girl listened to Cloe for a while, Cloe's voice becoming softer until Yusei had to strain to hear her from the phone, and finally the girl gave a quick nod and muttered "Yes ma'am" before hanging up. She let out the large breath that she was holding in (Yusei hadn't noticed until she did) as she then made her way to the door.

And though Yusei knew what he did next was wrong, but he just had to do it. Didn't his father say one time to him that "some things just had to be done" or something like that? No matter. Before he could give it anymore thought, he jumped in front of the girl who he thought that just maybe, just maybe she was his missing friend.

He jumped in front of her, causing her to lightly gasp and take a large step back. She put her hand to her chest and gazed up into his cerulean eyes frightfully. What would he do? Surely he didn't overhear that conversation, did he? If he did, than what would he do?

But what he said next spoke more than his actions.

"Who are you, exactly?"

* * *

><p>Star-Rose Lover: (now hiding in bomb shelter) Ok, taking my wise reviewers advice; hiding in a bomb shelter! Works great! Anyways, just wanted to let you know I'm sorry I haven't updated for a while, and though I should've said this at the beginning, I was too busy with well...Akiza.<p>

Akiza: STAR!

Star-Rose Lover: Oh geez. Um, also the reason I didn't update was because we have to do some testing to go into the high school, so yeah. And another thing; I know I shoud've put the part where everything really takes place, but first off it would take too long and second I just had to leave you guys a cliff-hanger. ;) Ok, see that little review button at the bottom of the page? You should click on it, 'cause it's a place that'll leave you happy and content. ^-^ Don't you guys love me?


	4. Chapter 4

Star-Rose Lover: Yay, school is over and I can go back to my regular updates! ^0^

Jack: By the way, you weren't doing anything the last two weeks of school, so what took you so long?

Star-Rose Lover: I needed a break, trust me. And I needed to gather my thoughts on what I wanted to happen next in this story and many others as well.

Crow: So let me get this straight...you were just being lazy?

Star-Rose Lover: I wouldn't really call it that, because I really was thinking on what I wanted to happen next and wrote them down, but about one-fourth of it was my lazziness yes. So thank you everybody for being so patient with me, it means a lot. ^-^ And on with chapter 4! I think you will like it!

* * *

><p>"Honey, where's Yusei?"<p>

Mrs. Fudo asked worriedly for her seemingly lost son.

"Oh, he left out of the door that the maid went out of earlier," Mr. Fudo replied, taking a sudden liking to the floor.

"He what! And you just let him go!"

Mr. Fudo merely shrugged his shoulders.

"HAKASE!"

* * *

><p>Yusei jumped at the sound of his mothers angry voice; looks like they noticed him missing, but why did she yell his fathers' name like that? He shrugged, much like how his father had just a minute ago, and turned back to the matter at hand.<p>

The girl was taking small steps back, clearly frightened at his sudden apperance and his startling question. Yusei hated to do this to her, but he had no choice. The questions that had been going through his head since he was a little kid were now popping up, demanding that he ask them; he already asked one.

_"Who are you, exactly?"_

* * *

><p>Akiza was scared. Not that freaky feeling when somebody scares you, like what the young Mr. Fudo had done, but that frightful feeling that somebody had figured you out.<p>

His eyes were cold and calculating; never had Akiza seen eyes like this, not even from Sayer. She didn't remember this from her childhood with him, but then again she barely remembered anything from her past before her parents died because they were usually too painful for her.

Akiza shifted uncomfrontably on her feet, and focused her own hazel gaze on the ground. She didn't like those eyes, the eyes that made her feel like a piece of colorful glass that was throughly examined, every glitch and scratch visible under the naked eye.

"My name is Tilli, sir, Tilli Rose," Akiza lied, still refusing to look at him. _He can't know my real name, _thought Akiza.

So he kinda surprised her when he put his index finger under her chin to make her look up at him. Again, her eyes came into contact with his cerulean ones, and she forced back a shiver that threatened to crawl up her spine.

Actually, for the first time in her life she felt heat on her face that wasn't caused by anything unless you counted emotion, and being this close to him made her feel a ton of emotion.

He was so...itoxicating. He smelled of the mint leaves she mixed into Cloe's and Sayer's evening tea, and a underlying smell of clone stuck to him too for the special occasion. And still, his eyes were like a drug to Akiza, begging her to tell them her story.

"That's not your name, it couldn't be," he murmered. "you look exactly like her..."

Akiza gulped. So he did remember. The young Mr. Fudo, no _Yusei_, remembered her. But he seemed hesitant, which was good thing, because if he found out...

This time Akiza did shiver. Yusei cocked his head at her, making her face heat up more. _Why is my face so warm? _Akiza thought, yearning to put her hand her face to see what the problem was.

"Do you have a fever?"

Akiza was startled at Yusei's question. Fever? She didn't remember the last time she had a fever, and even if she did she would had to take care of herself because she was pretty sure Cloe and Sayer never would. She shook her head vigoriously and when she tried to step back Yusei actually put his hand to her forehead. Akiza froze.

Everything seemed to stop when he did that, like the only thing that mattered was him; she didn't remember the last time she felt like this. For a second, it was like the thing with her parents never happened, or even her unfortunate raising with Cloe and Sayer. But, all things have to come to an end, as he pulled his hand away and frowned.

"You feel really warm, Aki- I mean Tilli. I should take you down to my parents and we should get you to a doctor, you don't look so-"

_"NO!"_

Yusei flinched at her outburst, along with Akiza herself. _That's right, _Akiza thought, _that was the first time he heard me talk. _She swallowed, took a deep breath, and-

"I...I mean no...you...can't take me to the doctor because...Mrs. Cloe and Mr. Sayer wouldn't like it and...would disapprove." Akiza shook her head. She started to feel dizzy all of the sudden, and everything started to look blurry, even Yusei...

Akiza became even more dizzy with what happened next, and she was forced to fight it. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. "How stupid," he asked, "do you think I am?"

Akiza shook her head and tried to wiggle out of his strong grip, though it just made things worse. It felt like a battle was raging in her body, overwhelming dizziness vs Akiza Izi- no, Tillli R- no, that didn't sound right either. Who was she, exactly? "I...I have no idea what you're talking about Mr.-"

"What did they do to you, Akiza?"

Akiza couldn't take it anymore. The battle deep in her was won by dizziness, which she knew would happen anyway; but she still had hope, that maybe, just maybe she could get away from this boy, no this _man, _because he called her by her _real name. _The name she hadn't been called in what felt like decades and decades, and honestly, she missed it. She felt so tired...

Akiza felt something collapse under her, maybe it was her legs...ah, who cares? Everything was spinning, and she didn't remember the last time she even _felt _this tired; actually, Akiza didn't think she ever _did. _

And these thoughts were the last thing Akiza thought of before passing into darkness.

* * *

><p>"Akiza! Akiza!" Yusei yelled, helplessly shaking the unconsious Akiza in his hands. The young girl had almost hit the ground below her when her legs gave out, but Yusei had caught her before she did; Akiza had then fell into unconsiousness.<p>

Yusei knew it was wrong calling the girl Akiza, but some freaky instinct in his heart was telling him to call her that. He just knew it was her, no exception. But why did she keep telling him he had the wrong person, and acting as though he had some mental problem for calling her that? She wasn't Tilli Rose, she was Akiza, Akiza Izinski to be exact.

And he knew that Cloe and her husband, Sayer, had kept it a secret and made her do it too. But for what? Why keep it a secret? Unless...that's it! They wanted the fortune! Yusei remembered his parents telling him when he was young that they were to now inherit the fortune that was to be passed down to Akiza herself in their latest Will.

Yusei shook his head; he knew it. "I just knew they were bad news..." he muttered aloud to himself. He glanced down at Akiza again. She just wouldn't wake up, and was it just him or was she getting warmer by the minute?

Yusei took her up into his arms and stood. Now wasn't the time to think about the Cloe and Sayer, right now he needed to get Akiza some help.

He walked out of the room- well, more like ran- and made it downstairs to his parents. They were deep in conversation, his mother not looking the happiest in the world and his father shying away from her on the couch they were still sitting on.

"Mom! Dad!"

At the sound of their only son's voice they immediantly stopped their small bickering with one another and looked up; they gasped. Yusei could almost imagine what they were thinking, that he knocked the girl out or seduced her mayb-

"Yusei! What happened!" His mom asked, bewildered. "I mean, what did you do!"

Yep, he was right, they thought he had something to do with it; but honestly, in technical terms he did. But that was a later matter to him for they needed to know who she was or at least who Yusei thought she was.

"Mom, this girl- it's Akiza! I just know it is!"

His mom shook her head and said, "Yusei, that doesn't answer my question. What did you do to her? And besides, that can't be Akiza because she's-"

"Dead? No mom, this is her. I'm sure of it!"

His mother's face turned into a deeper frown, but before she could say anything Yusei's father interupted.

"Do you have anything to prove this, Yusei?"

Now it was time for Yusei's face to twist into a frown. Honestly, no he didn't, other than that the girl looked like his old childhood friend long ago. He sighed inwardly. Another conversation to avoid and bring up later.

"That doesn't matter right now. What matters is that she's sick and hurt Dad! I overheard her talking to Cloe, and I don't think she's even planning on metting us! I think it's just a big...uh..."

Yusei stopped and gulped at his words. Why the hell did he just say what he was thinking all along outloud for? And to make things worse, his parets were staring at him with mouths agape, wide enough to "catch flies" as one might say. He suddenly felt the urge to scream at his foolishness, but he had to continue what he was saying.

"...Joke. I think...it's just a big joke, and that they maybe _wanted _us to recognize Akiza and take her away. Though I don't know why...maybe it's becau-"

"Yusei, we can't just take her away because of some _hypothesis _you had, son!" Yusei's father interupted, standing up off the couch. "You don't even have any _evidence _to prove it!"

"Dad, what _is _there to prove? Huh? Even if this girl isn't Akiza, she needs help! Look at her!" As if to prove his point, Yusei held the unconsiouses girl up a little higher in his arms. "I won't let Cloe get away with this again! It's Akiza, _and I know it!"_

Yusei breathed hard, biting his lip nervously at his outburst. He knew he was in the wrong for yelling at his father like that, but he wanted to help this girl out. The look in her eyes...the abuse that was written all over her body...she needed him. Even if it wasn't Akiza, he still wanted to help her. "Please..." he murmered.

Yusei's parents looked at one another and sighed. His mother finally spoke up and said, "We can't take her to the hospital, Yusei," Yusei opened his mouth to object, but his mother beat him to it. "But, we will take her to Martha."

Yusei let out the breath he didn't even know he was holding in and smiled. Martha was their own maid, and though she was really an orphan caretaker she worked with the Fudo family as well. She could definently patch up Akiza for she was as good a nurse as any that had a full degree.

Yusei's father sighed and shook his head. "We're honestly _stealing _a person, according to law," Yusei's father murmured, looking at Yusei. "but, I know where you're coming from son. Let's hurry and leave."

The Fudo family nodded in agreement.

* * *

><p>Star-Rose Lover: ...Did I rush that ending?<p>

Crow: How should I know?

Star-Rose Lover: Ah, oh well. Anyways, please review and let me know if you found any problems. And again, thank you for being patient and-

Leo: I FOUND CHOCOLATE!

Star-Rose Lover: Leo, where did you find that at?

Leo: In your brothers room. Do you want some?

Star-Rose Lover: Sure, what wrong could it do?

Akiza: *whispers to Yusei* Doesn't it make her hyper?

Yusei: *whispers back* Oh yea it does doesn't it? Maybe we should tell her...

Crow: *overhears them and whispers too* Shh, don't tell her. I want to see what happens...*smiles wickedly*

Yusei and Akiza: *sigh*


	5. Chapter 5

Star-Rose Lover: *groans*

Crow: Chocolate overload, sweetheart?

Star-Rose Lover: Shut your mouth Crow. Leo...you're dead later. *glares at Leo*

Leo: *whimpers in fear and then pain from chocolate overload*

Star-Rose Lover: *groans again* Please do the disclamer Crow.

Crow: *grins* I thought you told me to shut my mouth?

Star-Rose Lover: DO IT OR I'LL DO WORSE!

Crow: Woah. Um, ok. Star-Rose Lover thanks everybody for the reviews and is glad you are reading her story and liking it so much. She also wishes that anymous reviewers would please leave their name, even though they don't have an account. And...um, on with chapter 5!

* * *

><p>Akiza felt really, really cold. But then she felt hot, then cold once more. Then hot again, and so on. The continous cycle felt as though it went on for centuries in this smothering darkness she was surrounded by, but something was telling her that it didn't go on as long as she thought.<p>

And then there would be times she would feel pain, just strong waves of pain like if you were to wreck a bicycle, and when you finally stopped rolling after that bicycle wreck you would start to feel these blasts of pain all over your body. That's what would happen to Akiza. But as soon as it happened, it quit. She was just glad it happened every so often...

But there were also times Akiza remembered, (though vaguely)) when the smothering darkness went away and she would be met with this bright white light- see this elderly-ish lady standing over her putting something cool over her forehead and some person with these familar deep blue eyes staring at her worriedly.

She could've sworn that the blue-eyed person moved its mouth, but it moved so slow and it was so blurry she couldn't understand a thing that it might've said. She didn't worry about it, though.

After a while, the smothering darkness went away, along with the cold/hot mix and pain; it felt like a relief.

She opened her crusty eyelids, glanced around, and...!

_God, why was he here?_

* * *

><p>Yusei had watched Akiza (or whoever she may be, for now he would just call her Akiza because that's who he truly believed she was) toss and turn in her bed, sick with fever for a week now.<p>

From what Martha had told him, she had been unwell for quite a while. Also she said that there were the brusies and cuts she had to tend to...

So when she finally opened her eyes he was more than relieved. That was the first day her fever had died down, and though she had woken before, she was so dazed with the fever and drugs that Martha had instilled in her that she didn't have any idea what was happening.

Her chocolate-brown eyes glanced around before finally settling on him; her eyes widened immediantly at the sight of him. Yusei watched as she quickly sat up uncertainly, before wincing in pain and laying back down again, her elbow piercing the pillow below it.

Her whole body faced Yusei, tense with pain. Her eyes scanned his with uncertanity, but Yusei could telll that behind that blanket of uncertanity she was truly afraid. Now he knew it was his time to talk:

"You're still in pain; I wouldn't move around too much if I were you." Unconsiously he reached towards her, but she recoiled away from his touch leaving his hand suspended in midair.

"I won't hurt you, you know," Yusei murmured. "I won't do what Sayer and Cloe have done to you, neither will my paren-"

"Where am I? Why am I here? Where are Cloe and Sayer? Why-"

"Please calm down, it's ok," Yusei interupted, speaking softly to sooth the stressed girl. "Me and my parents rescued you, your safe now."

"I didn't need saving!"

"But you were terribly hurt. Cloe and Sayer, they mistreated you, you needed our...our...Akiza...?"

Akiza was shaking her head in complete disbelief, tears slightly forming in her eyes. She glanced at him warily, and slowly laid back down to not disturb her wounds. And with one last look, she turned to her side, facing away from him.

Yusei frowned...and sighed.

He understood.

In a awkard little way he understood.

He closed his eyes, and tilted his head towards the ceiling, a very distant (yet close) memory arising from within the crevices of his mind that he honestly had no desire to think about again...

* * *

><p><em>"Martha!"<em>

_"Why hello, little Yusei. How have you been?"_

_A younger, much more naive little Yusei ran towards a slightly younger looking Martha at the orphanage that she and Dr. Schmitt ran. He ran straight into her arms, melting in her embrace. It had been so long since he had seen her... this thought only made him snuggle closer to him._

_"I'm great, Martha!" But then Yusei frowned and shrugged away. "Where have you been? It's been so long since you visited me and Mom and Dad."_

_Martha sighed and ruffled his hair. "We've had some trouble lately, Yusei," Martha said, casting her gaze to the orphans playing in the courtyard. _

_Yusei followed her gaze. "With a kid?" he asked, cocking his head slightly to the side in a curious manner that Martha couldn't help but crack a smile at._

_"Yes and no."_

_Now confusion crossed Yusei's expression. "Yes and no? What does that mean?"_

_Martha shifted her feet uncomfrontably. "Well, you see-" _

_"AH!"_

_Martha was interputed by a child's yell that emitted from the middle of the courtyard; many children were surrounding a child who was crouched on the ground holding his knee. Martha sighed again. It was probalby Tommy trying to grab attention again..._

_Martha glanced back down at Yusei. "I'll... talk to you later on, Yusei," she muttered, and then jogged to the courtyard, already shouting for the surrounding kids to move aside. _

_Yusei frowned, deep in thought about what Martha had meant about 'Yes and no', but he forgot about it when three of his friends, Jack, Crow, and Kallin came up to play with him._

_Little did he know that that very answer Martha had given him would come back to haunt him later that night..._

_*Two hours later*_

_Yusei sat up in bed and yawned, rubbing his eyes sleepily. He looked around the room that him and Jack shared when he stayed at the orphanage. "I could've sworn I heard a voice...," Yusei muttered to himself. He glanced at Jack; he was still fast asleep._

_After a few more moments of intense listening (and thinking maybe it was the boogey-man or Crow coming in to scare him, though he quickly gave up on the idea), he laid back down._

_But then he heard it again. _

_A quick, fast mutter. A curse, to be exact. Yusei held his breath; they (or whoever it was) had said a bad word. _

_Though every instinct in his body told him not to, he got out of bed anyway. He tip-toed across the room as to not wake Jack and stepped out into the hallway- and about recoiled right back in._

_A candle-light passed right by him, and he had to bite his lip so as to not cry out in fright. He knew it was Martha, for though he didn't see her face, he knew that quick shuffle of feet from anywhere; but Martha didn't see him. She was too focused on something ahead... but what?_

_After watching Martha shuffle down the stairs and letting loose a couple of curses (much to Yusei's surprise), he decided to follow her. _

_When he made it down the stairs, he was surprised again. There was a light on in the kitchen, and quiet whispers could be heard from within. _Maybe Martha was just hungry and wanted a snack... _thought Yusei. But the more he thought about it, the more unlikely it sounded. _

_So Yusei crept to the crack of light from the door, and looked in- and saw a boy. Yusei looked away quickly and let go of the breath he didn't know he was holding. So nothing was wrong after all, probalby Martha adopting an orphan that some parent couldn't take care of, so all was good... right? _

_As Yusei started to climb back up the stairs, he heard a loud yell, almost causing him to fall back down, "NO!"_

_Yusei ran back to the kitchen where the sound came from, not caring if anybody heard him; and this time, he _really _looked in:_

_The boy he had only glanced at earlier was a short fellow, though he looked Yusei's age. He had long, brown hair falling into his brown eyes, and he was humped over, as if he was carrying something heavy on his shoulders. And then Yusei had to bite his lip to keep a gasp from escaping; he had bitten so hard that he could feel the iron-like taste of blood fill his mouth. He clutched the door like it was a life-saver. _

_The boy had brusies decorating his body, brusies of purple, blue, gray and yellow even. He also had several cuts covering his face, and his expression was that of bewilderment as he looked up at a older guy that Yusei hadn't noticed; he looked exactly like the boy aside from the eye color and wounds. Yusei could only guess that this was the boy's father and the guy who had yelled "NO" earlier on. His face resembled that of a tomato..._

_"Take this boy away from me!" the man yelled. "He is nothing but a worthless, pathetic excuse for a son." _

_At this the boy flinched, and looked away from his Father._

_"That is not true! Nobody is worthless, especially not a young boy such as this!"_

_Yusei jumped at Martha's stern voice. He had never heard Martha sound like that before..._

_"And your the one who is pathetic, sir! To treat your own son like that... I pity him!"_

_Yusei watched as the older man towered over Martha, trying to be intimidating, but Martha stood her ground, glaring back at the older man and standing as tall as she possibly could as well._

_An uneasy tension was in the room for what felt like hours, the only sound being the clock ticking quietly in the corner of the kitchen. _

_Finally the man backed down, glaring at Martha, and then glanced down at the younger boy as he pushed him towards her. "Goodbye, mam," he muttered, and then glancing down at his son, "Live a terrible life, boy. Just like your mother did...," He grinned, showing his yellow teeth, and walked out of the room chuckling. _

_Yusei ran to the side of the door as the man pushed it open, light illuminating the way towards the door outside as he walked towards it. He opened it and started out- but not before the boy ran out of the illuminated kitchen, stumbling, and grasped his fathers' pant leg. _

_"Daddy! Please, please don't leave me!" the boy breathed. "I'll be a better son! I won't be worthless or pathetic anymore, I'll get stronger! Just you wait, it'll be like the time before Mom died-"_

_That seemed to strike a nerve in the man. With one sweep of his hand, he knocked the boy aside, the boy tumbling into a table. The boy tensed, tears cascading down his cut-up cheeks as he watched his Father walk out of the house, slamming the door behind him. _

_Martha, having seen the terrible scene, ran to the boy and tried to comfort him; but it was obvious the boy could not be consoled. His small body heaved with sobs, Yusei watched with utmost pity. _

How, _Yusei wondered, _could he run to his Father like that after the way he treated him?

* * *

><p>Yusei opened his eyes and stared at the dark ceiling. He blinked, and glanced at the girl who had fallen asleep already, her small body rising and falling with her breaths; his eyes softened, thinking back ti that memory.<p>

At that moment, he didn't know why in the hell that boy ran to his Father like that, pleading with him that he would be a better son, but when the boy died a year later he did understand.

_He was his father and he loved him no matter what happened..._

Yusei knew that even if his father had done that to him (which he highly doubted), that he would do the same exact same thing. He would run to his Father, pleading with him that he would be a better son. It was understandable.

And that's why... he kinda understood what Akiza was going through. Yusei would do anything, _anything, _to get back that Akiza he once knew. Though he knew there would still be scars and moments of pain, he would help her. She would not go down like that boy did that his Father had dropped off, consumed with utter grief. Yusei would not let that happen, if it was the last thing he ever did!

Yusei's eyes burned with resolve in the darkness of the room, not knowing that a certain woman was watching him at the crack in the door like he had done so long ago at her own home that very day.

That's the boy she knew...

* * *

><p>Star-Rose Lover: Yikes, that chapter was full of grief. Hope it wasn't too sad for everybody!<p>

Everybody: ...

Star-Rose Lover: Uh... ok, well I'm going to go over some things that Crow didn't go over like I told him to! (glares at Crow) I would like if I would not get reviews telling me to hurry up, 'cause I WILL go even slower to update or might not even update at all. I do not like to be rushed, and I know many other authors feel the same way I do. And also, sorry I've been slow on updating but I got a life too you know and I would like to live it. When it gets back into school I'll be faster, but it's different right now even though it summer.

Crow: Yea you thought you would be able to update faster since its summer, didn't you?

Star-Rose Lover: Yep! And I thought wrong! So I'm sorry! But I'm going to update my other stories as fast as possible, since I REALLY need to with them. And last but not least, please review! Tell me what you think, what you like, even what you don't like! I think this might be my favorite story so far, so please tell me what you think!

Luna and Leo: PLEASE REVIEW!


End file.
